28/10/2025
In honour of Herbal Medicine Week 2025, we’re highlighting the herbs that inspire our practice and hold a special place in our hearts.
Here are 3 of Jess' favourites 🌱
Calendula 🌼
Calendula, also known as Pot Marigold, is a warming, nourishing, bright, happy, hopeful herb. Historically said to “strengthen and comfort the heart and spirits,” it was a typical food and medicine throughout Europe, often called “poor man’s saffron.”
Topically it supports wound healing through vulnerary, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifungal, and lymphatic actions. It’s used for nappy rash, sunburn, minor wounds, and fungal infections. Taken as a tincture, it promotes circulation of blood and lymph, supports detoxification, and offers anti-inflammatory, immune, hepatic, and antioxidant benefits. Calendula can assist pelvic lymphatic congestion, infections, inflammation, and painful periods, as well as gastric ulcers and gastritis.
When I started my Naturopathic business, I chose Calendula to represent my practice (hence The Marigold Mender) to symbolise practicality, warmth, hope, comfort, and strength. This flower embodies all the creative ways naturopathic medicine can support health and happiness. 🌿
Schisandra 🍒
Schisandra berry, a lovely TCM herb, is said to possess all five flavours (sweet, sour, pungent, bitter, & salty) and support all body systems. It’s hepatoprotective (liver-supporting), adaptogenic (stress-modulating), and calming, with potential to enhance endurance, stamina, and mental performance. I love using it for people under chronic stress who need liver support and to improve the taste of yucky tinctures 😝
Zizyphus 🌙
Zizyphus is a calming TCM herb wonderful for anxiety with hyperhidrosis (sweaty palms when nervous) or perimenopausal hot flushes with anxiety and sweating. It’s sedating and supports anxiety-induced insomnia. I was first prescribed it as a student Naturopath for my own sweaty-palmed anxiety it helped for months even after I finished the bottle!
